Best news EVER

So we found a place to board them, and Dandy's owners have agreed to sign the boarding contract, so it sounds like we will be getting them eventually after all. As for training, I am probably going to start going over to Linda's and working with Stormy and Abby again. They really want to be able to ride him, and Stormy LOVES to run. Its the ex barrel racer in him. Its kind of a bummer though because I have to slowly get him back into condition before he can carry a rider safely for a distance at speed. I look forward to lunging him, he always is teaching ME something, not to mention the fact that he is such a good boy for the most part. And who can resist that face! I am excited about getting Dandy, but I really need a job. My goal for the summer is to have a job and have bought the first level or Parelli and started it with him. We have already started to play some of the games, just in the hour or so I have been with him. He is very willing to please, he is like a dog! Sorry for the bad writing and skipping around, but I am just too happy! Everything is finally working out!!! OH and I reposted the picture of Dandy I had tried to put in the last post but it was too big! It shows his GORGEOUS EYES!

Just an Update

So we are not getting Dandy, at least not yet, due to us not knowing if we can stay living where we are. I am looking for a place to board him so that if we do keep the house we CAN get him, but its hard finding a place that will take two mini studs. Plus they have to be nearby, because I will be driving there at least once a day. And to top it all off, they (his current owners) move to Renton on Saturday, so I have to find a place by tomorrow... Talk about pressure. Oh well, I refuse to let ANYONE own this horse but me... I have only met him once, and we have a GREAT connection. Besides, who doesn't love a mini with blue eyes? I have started to call him Ocean Eyes when I talk about him. I will post a picture below that shows them well. I could stare into them forever. Gorgeous! You can see them from about 20 or so feet away, I love it!

Frustrated

Today was frustrating. I have looked for ages as to where around here(Olympia Area)I can take my CHA tests, with absolutely no luck. I will keep looking, there HAS to be something somewhere around here. Oh well, its just not meant to happen yet. I did, on the other hand, start on cleaning the barn today. I never realized how dirty and gross it is in there till now. Moved 2 small trailer-fulls or nasty DUSTY hay out and there is still about an inch or dirt on the cement floor. We worked for about 3 hours, then Richard (My fiance) saw a giant spider on the ground and was done... haha. So we had to walk all the way to the house, get 2 bug bombs and set them off in there before we went inside for the night. Noticed that we probably should invest in some decon or a good barn cat as well. I guess that's just what happens when a barn is unoccupied for a few years. I started thinking of new names for Dandy today as well, it just doesn't fit him. Trying to think of something manly, yet cute. He is a mini after all. For a while I have been observing my mare, trying to figure out just what direction I want to take her. At first I was thinking some sort of gymkhana, as she has a lot of speed, but I have stared to feel that she doesn't have the natural control for it. I want to do something that will make her happy and work with what she can do naturally. I realize that horse sports are all about control (not in a robot kind of way, but an I WANT to do this for my rider way)and we are going to work on that. She can jump well, we have worked her over a few cavalettis and she has great form and scope. Isn't that what you call it when a horse can judge distance and such well? Scope? I'm sure you understand. I'm a little nervous about riding English. I have only ever ridden Western, and English seems to not have enough... I don't know... saddle? I am so used to a 25+ pound saddle, it is weird to think that they are so tiny! I am fine with bareback, its my favorite, its just the in between that is so odd to me. I think it has something to do with the fact that I was raised in a very very much anti-English pro-western riding. Anyways, I haven't read anything terribly exciting as of yet, just stuff I already know; reward and punishment, you must she the horse respect if you want him to respect you, things like that. Can't wait till this Saturday, when Dandy's owners make a house visit to check things out!

I forgot

Oh, and because my horses are so far away, I have been trying to convince my mom to let me get this little mini stud that is on craigslist. He is so sweet and adorable. He looks like a little bitty version of my Beau, he is a little under 36 inches tall. I really would like to start some jumping with him. I think it is amazing just how a high a teeny mini horse can jump when trained right. Here are some pictures of him:




Isn't he adorable? If we do end up getting him, he will be gelded this spring. He is only 5 years old and is the sweetest pony I have ever met. Granted, that isn't saying much as most ponies I have met were little jerks, but he is still a sweetie pie.

To Start Off...

I created this blog for a couple different reasons, though I am not expecting anyone to read it but me. The main reason is that I need a place to reflect on the days work. For those that don't know, I train horses. I have one under my belt, and have a few in progress. I will write here about things that I have learned, things that we accomplished that day, things like that. I won't write everyday, but will try as often as possible. The other reason is that I am a fairly good writer, and since I am not really in school anymore I don't want to loose my ability to write well. I read a lot of books, and will mostly likely will write about them too. Right now I am reading a book that I have started many times, and I hope to finish it this time, as I have a lot to learn from it. It is called Basic Training For Horses English and Western by Elenor F. Prince and Gaydell M Collier. I am only on page 18 and already I have learned so much. I am really hoping to meet a few fellow trainers on here, I am always open to a new opinion and to learn something. I just starting out and hoping to get a few tips.
The only horse I have trained so far is my horse Beau. He is a black and white paint/QH cross, about 14.3 hands. He was a real pain when I got him. I worked with him and found that he was a great match for me. He is HORRIBLE under saddle, but the best, most willing horse ever bareback and on the ground.Its fine by me though, because I only like to ride him bareback. He is very cushion-y (aka FAT). He does a few tricks and you can move him around using voice commands only (including picking up his feet without touching him). I have worked with other horses, and plan to start-finish my other horse, a mare named Jazzy this summer. She is nine, we have had her since she was 9 months, but I never had the confidence to work with her a bunch till this year. Other horses I have worked with are a rescue ex-barrel QH gelding that had been out to pasture for a few years and had been attacked by a stallion. I have also worked with his pasture mate, a very pushy mare. My goal in working with horses is to teach people how to understand the horse, and vise verse. I love that feeling you get when you know that the horse understand what you are asking. Also, to be able to have what it takes to work with the really tough horses, because while every horse I work with is rewarding, the its the really tough ones that make me know why I love training so much.
Lastly, I thought I would list some of the trainers that I really like, just so you can get an idea. My favorite is the Parelli's, I really like Natural Horsemanship and I try to use a lot of Parelli methods. Dave Jones. I don't agree with a few things that he believes, his methods are a little to rough and tough cowboy for me, but he does have many great points. Also John Lyons, Craig Cameron and many others. I love to learn about trainers and read a book or two about them, how they train and why. I take what I feel is important and combine it with what I know and feel is important.